If you’re a fan of the fantastic theatre ticket deals for families that Kids Week offers, I’ve got some good news for you. Kids Week has added an extra week, and now runs from 12 August to 4 September. Visit www.kidsweek.co.uk now, and if you buy a full price adult seat for one of the London shows taking part, you can take along someone else (up to the age of 16) to the same show for free. A further two kids can attend for half price.)
In other news this week, The Railway Children has announced an extension, and is now booking until 8 January 2012. The production, which won an Olivier Award for Best Entertainment earlier in the year, currently stars Marcus Brigstocke as station master Mr Perks.
Did you enjoy spotting some of London theatre’s regulars in BBC2’s The Hour on Tuesday? I certainly did. Abi Morgan, who wrote the series, is also in London’s theatrical news this week. She’s one of the many writers tackling an exciting Headlong theatre project about the legacy of 9/11, directed by Rupert Goold. The show, called Decade, will be staged in an atmospheric disused building in St Katherine Docks from 1 September. Other writers on the project include:
- Christopher Shinn (best-known for Now Or Later at the Royal Court in 2008)
- Lynn Nottage, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Ruined, which was staged last year at the Almeida Theatre
- Samuel Adamson, who wrote Southwark Fair at the National Theatre
- Mike Bartlett, behind Earthquakes In London for Headlong, and Cock at the Royal Court
- Alecky Blythe, author of hit documentary-musical London Road at the National Theatre
- Columbia University historian Simon Schama, whose historical work Rough Crossings was adapted by Headlong for the stage in 2007
Three shows have released news of their casts this week. They are:
- The Lion in Winter by James Goldman will star Robert Lindsay and Joanna Lumley at the Theatre Royal Haymarket in November
- Cool Hand Luke: Lee Boardman from Corrie and Lisa Eichhorn join Marc Warren in this stage adaptation of the well-known film, coming the Aldwych theatre in September
- Nicholas Lyndhurst joins Ralph Fiennes in Trevor Nunn’s production of The Tempest at the Theatre Royal Haymarket from 27 August